


All right

by Ailendolin



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Canon Era, Drowning, Fluff, Getting Together, Heat Stroke, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Race can't swim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 12:12:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18800104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailendolin/pseuds/Ailendolin
Summary: “We’ll go swimming!”Albert stared at his excited friend for a moment in utter disbelief. “You can’t swim, moron,” he felt the need to point out.“So?” Race asked, lifting his chin in a way that dared Albert to argue with him. “As long as I don’t go in too far I’ll be fine.”Spoiler alert: Race is wrong.





	All right

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies. Disney does. I'm just borrowing their characters and don't make any money with this.
> 
> This is not beta'd and I'm not a native speaker, so I'd like to apologize in advance for any mistakes you might find.

**All right**

The moment Race walked up to him that afternoon with a wide grin on his face and eyes shining brightly with excitement Albert knew he wouldn’t get the quiet evening he’d been longing for all day.

“Hey, Al!” Race beamed, throwing his arms around his friend in greeting.

Albert tried to suppress a groan. He loved Race with all his heart, he really did, but his head had been killing him for hours now and Race’s voice didn’t really help matters. Not to mention that it was burning hot outside and having another warm body draped over him, even if it was Race’s, made Albert want to crawl out of his skin. “Ugh, get off of me and for heaven’s sake, don’t talk so loud!”

Race gave him a bemused grin but took a step back. “Not having a good day, huh? Well, I know just the thing to make you feel better.” This time, Albert did groan. This couldn’t be good, not with the way Race was already looking at him expectantly. “We’ll go swimming!”

Albert stared at his excited friend for a moment in utter disbelief. “You can’t swim, moron,” he felt the need to point out.

“So?” Race asked, lifting his chin in a way that dared Albert to argue with him. “As long as I don’t go in too far I’ll be fine.”

“Uh-hu,” Albert agreed, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Race ignored him. “So what, you coming or not? We’ll be meeting Spot in half an hour.”

Ah, Albert thought, of course this would be about Spot. Ever since the strike Race couldn’t shut up about him, or so it seemed to Albert at least. It was always ‘Spot this’ and ‘Spot that’ and quite frankly, Albert was getting real tired of it. He hated how Race was drawn to Brooklyn like a moth to a flame, how he put himself in danger by walking home alone in the dark at night just so he could spend another hour in Spot’s presence, and he especially hated how Spot had Race’s undivided attention whenever they were together. It just wasn’t fair, and the last thing Albert wanted to do right now was to go swimming with Spot Conlon of all people and watch Race make heart eyes at him for hours on end. But when he saw the look in Race’s blue eyes, the genuine hope that Albert would spend the afternoon with them, Albert knew he would do anything Race asked for if only to keep him smiling like that.

“Yeah, I’ll come,” he said, wincing when Race pumped his fist into the air with a happy, “Yeah!” “Someone’s got to keep you out of trouble and I trust those Brooklyn boys as far as I can throw them.”

Race laughed, a bright and happy sound that made Albert’s heart melt. “They really ain’t that bad, Al. You just got to get to know them.”

“No, thanks,” Albert told him flat-out. “I hear enough about them from you to last me a lifetime. Now, who else is coming? Or is it just us and Brooklyn?” he added with a grimace.

“Don’t worry, it’s not,” Race reassured him with a pat on the arm. “I asked Jack and Crutchie, too, and they’re already on their way. I figured we’d catch up to them.”

Albert nodded, thanking whatever deity was listening for that small mercy. “Then let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave.”

“Aren’t you a ball of sunshine today,” Race mused as he reached for Albert’s hand to drag him through the streets towards Brooklyn. For the first time that day Albert was glad for the heat, if only because it hid the color rising in his cheeks.

* * *

Being at the beach with Brooklyn was just like Albert had imagined it would be: competitive and crazy. Race fit right in. He didn’t waste any time in pulling off his shirts and racing into the shallow water to lunge himself at the ball Spot and a few of his newsies were tossing around. Albert resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t see much of his best friend for the next few hours and sat down on the blanket Jack and Crutchie had brought with them.

“He’s going to kill himself,” he grumbled, pulling his legs up to rest his chin on them.

Crutchie laughed at him. “He’s not. Race knows his limits. And even if he didn’t Jack does and he’s with him.” He gave Albert a sideways look. “Why aren’t you joining them?”

Albert shrugged. “Don’t feel like it.” Crutchie raised a skeptical eyebrow and Albert sighed, knowing he wouldn’t let it go. “I’ve had a headache all day and don’t feel so well. The last thing I want right now is to get in that water and have Spot Conlon yell at me.”

“Here,” Crutchie said, handing him a bottle of water which Albert took gratefully. “Did you sell in a sunny spot today? Your face is all red.”

Albert had indeed been standing in the sun all day and he could feel his skin itching from sunburn but that was not the reason his face was bright red at the moment. The true reason was currently jumping up and down in the river water, laughing so loudly the sound carried up the beach to them. Race looked absolutely stunning and breathtaking in the afternoon sun. Albert felt himself flush even more and quickly averted his eyes. “Yeah, that must have been it,” he mumbled to Crutchie, taking a big gulp out of the bottle.

Crutchie gave him a disapproving look. “Choose a spot in the shade tomorrow,” he told him in a voice that broke no argument. “We don’t need anyone else down with heatstroke.”

Albert sat up straighter, immediately worried. “Who?”

“Buttons,” Crutchie said with a sigh, suddenly looking tired. “JoJo found him in an alley around midday, dizzy, confused and puking his guts out. The only reason Jack and I agreed to come to the beach today was because JoJo insisted he had things under control and told us quite plainly that Buttons needed rest and not a bunch of people fussing over him.”

Albert couldn’t help but laugh at that. “So he kicked you out.”

Crutchie grumbled good-naturedly but Albert didn’t hear his reply because in that moment a piercing shriek cut the air and Albert’s head whipped around just as Race shouted, “Put me down, Conlon! No, don’t you dare throw me in! I swear to god, if you don’t put me down I’m –“

Albert never found out what Race was intending to do to Spot because the next moment Spot dunked him underwater and he vanished from sight. Albert’s heart stopped. He didn’t think, just scrambled to his feet and ran towards the water as fast as he could. The only thing running through his head was that Race couldn’t swim, he couldn’t swim, _he couldn’t swim._

He crashed into the river, not noticing how Spot stopped laughing, how the Brooklyn newsies ceased their playing or how Crutchie frantically shouted for Jack to help. All he could focus on was the patch of murky water where Race had gone under and not resurfaced. It seemed to Albert like hours until he finally reached the spot. The river was just deep enough and the current strong enough that he lost his footing and had trouble keeping his head above water. Race hadn’t stood a chance.

With one quick, deep breath Albert dove.

The water was swirling so much with sediment he barely saw anything. Almost blindly, Albert reached out in all directions in the hope of hitting a part of Race by sheer luck. He didn’t. Frustrated, he briefly came back up for air before he dove down once more. Panic began to make his heart beat faster. He couldn’t see Race anywhere. Where was he? How was he supposed to find him? What if the current had already carried him away? What if Race was drowning just out of reach, alone and scared because Albert hadn’t been there, hadn’t kept an eye on him like he promised? What if Albert never got to tell him how he felt, consequences be damned? What if –

His thoughts came to a screeching halt when his hand brushed against skin. Frantically, his fingers closed around an arm and Albert began to swim upwards with all his might, pulling Race’s lifeless body along behind him. When he finally broke the surface he wrapped his arm around Race’s chest, swimming backwards towards the shore as fast as he could.

He tried not to think about the fact that Race’s chest was eerily still and unmoving beneath his hand.

Once he reached the shore hands reached for them and dragged Race out of Albert’s arms and onto the beach. Albert scrambled after them, falling to his knees beside Race. He took in the sight before him for a split second before he bent Race’s head backwards and brought their lips together. He’d dreamed of kissing Race for months. He’d imagined it happening at night on the fire escape of the Lodging House; in a shared bunk in the morning before everyone was awake; in an alley next to Jacobi’s after lunch. Never did he think Race’s lips would be tinged blue when they met his own for the first time, or that he would have to breathe life back into his best friend.

Coming up for air Albert placed his hands on Race’s chest and repeatedly applied pressure before he put his mouth over Race’s once more and breathed. He switched back to chest compressions, and back to filling Race’s lungs with air again and again until Race suddenly, blessedly, began to cough up water and took his first breath on his own.

“Oh god,” Albert sobbed, helping Race up and rubbing his back softly as he expelled the water from his lungs. “You’re all right, Tonio, you’re all right,” he mumbled, only starting to realize the truth of his words himself.

“What happened?” Race asked hoarsely and a little disoriented.

Sudden, white-hot anger filled Albert as he remembered how they got into this mess in the first place. “Spot fucking Conlon, that’s what happened,” he growled, pushing himself onto unsteady feet. Crutchie and Jack were there, trying to hold him back, but he brushed their well-meaning hands off of him. In two quick strides he was standing in front of Spot and before Spot could even raise his hands in defense Albert had pulled his arm back and punched him squarely across the face. “How could you?!” he shouted, noting with some satisfaction that Spot actually looked a little scared. “He can’t swim, you asshole!”

“I didn’t know that!” Spot said defensively.

“He told you no!” Albert shouted. “He told you not to throw him in and you did it anyway. What kind of person does that?” he asked, pushing Spot hard enough in the chest that he stumbled backwards. “You almost killed him! He stopped breathing, for fuck’s sake, because you didn’t listen!”

Spot’s eyes flickered to Race’s. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

Albert stepped between them. “Yeah, well, sorry’s not going to cut it, Conlon,” he growled.

“Albert …” Race said softly from behind him.

Albert whirled around. “No!” he said, shaking his head. “You don’t get to forgive him for this, Race! You almost drowned because of him! Don’t you get that?”

Race swallowed hard. “I do,” he croaked out. “But you need to calm down, Albert. I’m all right. You said so yourself. I’m fine. I’m alive.”

“But you weren’t when I pulled you out of the water!” Albert burst out. “You weren’t breathing. You were dying in my arms, Race.” He faltered when it hit him how close he had come to losing Race, his best friend, the most important person in his life. Suddenly all the fight left him. “You were dying,” he whispered in shock. He started to shake all over as the adrenaline left him and he took a stumbling step towards Race before his legs buckled under him and his knees hit the ground hard for a second time that day. “Oh god, you almost died.” 

He felt bile rise in his throat and turned his head away, fighting against the urge to throw up. His throat burned under the strain as he began dry-heaving because he hadn’t had anything to eat for hours. Goosebumps spread across his skin even though the sun was still sweltering hot in the sky and there was a ringing in his ears that drowned out the worried voices of his friends – all except Race’s.

“Albert? Al, come on, look at me,” he pleaded and even now Albert couldn’t refuse him. He turned unfocused, blurry eyes towards his best friend. Race was sitting up and even though Jack kept a supporting hand on his back he held his arms out into Albert’s direction. “C’mere,” he whispered and, helplessly, Albert allowed himself to be drawn into his embrace.

Race’s skin was cool against his own and with only Albert’s damp shirt separating them Albert could feel Race’s heart beating against his chest, strong and steady and so real that tears welled in his eyes. He didn’t have the strength to stop them. His hands struggled for purchase against Race’s back until they finally took hold of his shoulders and Albert buried his head in the crook of Race’s neck. He took in the smell of river water, sweat and something that was so uniquely Race it made his heart ache. Race’s pulse beat gently and reassuringly against his cheek and Albert felt his chest rise and fall with every wonderful, brilliant breath Race took.

But it wasn’t enough. He needed to hear Race’s voice which only an hour ago grated on his nerves and now felt like a lifeline. “Please, tell me again,” he pleaded, hoping Race would understand.

He did. “I’m here, Al. You hear that? I’m here and I’m all right. I didn’t drown. You saved me, kept me out of trouble just like you told me you would.” He cleared his throat, voice still hoarse from his ordeal. “I’m all right and we can go home now, just like you wanted to all along. Don’t think I didn’t notice that you weren’t keen on coming to the beach with me. I’m sorry I made you.”

Albert froze. “No! Don’t be sorry! If I hadn’t been here … oh god!”

“But you were,” Race told him gently before Albert’s thoughts could spiral any further, rubbing his hands up and down Albert’s back as if Albert had been the one who almost drowned. “You were and I’m all right, Al. I promise you I’m all right. Look at me?” Reluctantly Albert pulled back so he could lock eyes with his best friend. “See?” Race smiled. “I’m just fine.”

Albert’s eyes scanned every inch of Race’s face, from the wet curls plastered against his forehead to the small scar on his eyebrow. He stared at eyes that put the sky to shame, at skin that wasn’t as pale as death anymore, at lips that were no longer blue. Race’s hands came up to frame his face and he felt gentle thumbs stroking his cheeks. “I love you,” Albert whispered, unable to live another second with not telling Race. “I love you so much, Tonio, and I know you don’t feel the same, and it’s okay, but I needed you to know because it was almost too late and –“

One of Race’s hands moved to cover his mouth. “Shh,” he made softly. “Breathe, Al. You need to breathe.”

_No_ , Albert thought _, you do. I’m not the one who stopped breathing._ But all those thoughts scattered when Race asked, “Why would you think I don’t love you?”

“I don’t mean as friends,” Albert whispered, desperate for Race to understand.

Race smiled at him before he leaned in. “Neither do I.”

Albert froze. For the second time that day his lips met Race’s, only this time Race’s lips weren’t blue and unresponsive. They were warm and pliant and applying just enough pressure to jolt Albert out of his daze. Slowly it dawned on him that he was kissing Race – no, that _Race was kissing him_ and that made all the difference. The ringing in his ears stopped and the tightness in his chest eased little by little until all he felt was Race – beautiful, wonderful, brilliant Race who was breathing and smiling and _kissing him senseless_.

When they pulled back Albert couldn’t help but stare at his best friend in wonder. “What about Spot?” he asked, a little breathlessly.

“We’re just friends, Al,” Race reassured him. He traced the contour of Albert’s cheekbone with a distracting thumb. “I’m not in love with him.”

“You’re not?” Albert asked.

“He really isn’t,” Spot commented quietly. “You’re all he ever talks about.”

His words were enough to snap Albert back to reality, to bring everyone around them back into focus. Spot was standing to his right, arms crossed in front of his chest and with an expression of what Albert could only call fondness on his face despite the bruise forming around his eye. Next to him were Jack and Crutchie, both with matching grins of happiness.

Albert turned back towards Race. “Is that true?”

Race looked embarrassed but his wide smile didn’t falter. “Guilty as charged. I’ve been gushing about you for weeks.”

“Months,” both Jack and Spot muttered in unison, causing everyone to laugh.

“Me, too,” Albert admitted shyly. He turned his head slightly so he could press a soft, fleeting kiss to the inside of Race’s wrist before pulling back, suddenly afraid. “Is this okay?”

Race’s expression softened. “This is more than okay, Al.” He brought their foreheads together. “I love you, too,” he said tenderly.

Albert felt like his heart was soaring. Race was alive and well and he loved him back. Despite everything that had happened this day he felt like the luckiest person on Earth as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to get lost in Race’s presence, to reassure himself that Race was right here with him and not at the bottom of the river.

He had no idea how much time had passed when Crutchie suggested quietly, “How about we head back? No offense but you guys look beat.”

Albert didn’t want to let go of Race but Crutchie was right. He was on the verge of falling asleep, his head was pounding even worse than before and there was no way he was letting Race go back into the river again. _Never again_ , he swore silently to himself. To his surprise Race didn’t even protest when Albert helped him up. Wordlessly, he pulled on his shirts when Jack handed them to him before he linked his fingers with Albert’s. “Let’s go home.”

“Yeah,” Albert agreed.

He enjoyed the feeling of Race’s hand in his for as long as they were hidden from prying eyes before letting go. Every now and then their shoulders or arms would bump against each other as they walked and neither Albert nor Race could help smiling like fools when that happened.

“You guys are sickeningly cute, you know that?” Jack complained good-naturedly at one point.

Crutchie elbowed him in his side. “Leave them be. They deserve to enjoy this.”

“Yeah, let us enjoy this, Jackie,” Race said, flashing Jack a grin before brushing his arm against Albert’s on purpose just to see Jack grimace. “I almost died today.”

Albert stopped in his tracks. “Don’t joke about this,” he said in a low voice. “Not this, Tonio.”

Race swallowed hard, looking guilty. He reached for Albert’s hand to give it a short squeeze. “I’m sorry, Al.”

Albert nodded and they spent the rest of the walk to the Lodging House in silence. When they stepped into the bunkroom they found Buttons and JoJo curled up together on JoJo’s bed despite the heat. Buttons was asleep but JoJo kept wetting a washcloth in a bowl and dabbing Button’s forehead with it.

“How is he?” Crutchie whispered so as not to wake Buttons.

“Better,” JoJo said. “He’s been sleeping a lot. How was your trip to the beach?”

“Don’t ask,” Albert muttered. He dragged Race away and over to the bunk they shared, leaving Crutchie and Jack to explain what happened. “Sleep?” he asked quietly as he took off his now mostly dry clothes, hoping Race would understand that he didn’t mean in two separate bunks. He didn’t think he could bear to be separated from Race right now.

“I thought you weren’t comfortable with skin to skin contact in this heat,” Race said, eyes dancing in amusement as he pulled on some fresh clothes and settled down on Albert’s bunk.

Albert joined him, kicking the blanket to the bottom of the bunk in the process. “That was before you kissed me.”

Race smiled and leaned in to brush his lips against Albert’s. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he said after he pulled back. “I should have told Spot and the others I can’t swim before I went into the water. He really didn’t know.”

“I’m just glad you’re all right,” Albert whispered, trying not to imagine Race drowning in the river. “You are, aren’t you?” he couldn’t help but ask.

Race took hold of his hand and brought it to his lips to press a kiss to his knuckles. Albert felt his heart melt. “I am, Al. Honestly. Are you?”

Albert knew Race was talking about his reaction at the beach but he didn’t want to think about that anymore, about the terror and helplessness he felt when he saw Race lying on the ground, lifeless. Instead he said, “Still got a headache.”

Race searched his eyes for a moment, though Albert had no idea what he was looking for, before he brought one hand up to gently cup Albert’s cheek. Albert closed his eyes in bliss. “Just, next time tell me you’re not feeling well and I won’t drag you to the beach, okay?”

“Next time? We’re never going to that damned beach again, Race,” Albert told him in a voice that broke no argument.

He felt Race chuckle, his breath like a breeze in the stuffy bunkroom. “All right.”

Albert cracked one eye open in surprise. “All right?”

Race pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “All right.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot! 
> 
> I know some of you might be waiting for part 4 of the Hearts and Soul series but I didn't really have time to work on it since I started my new job two months ago. I also saw Avengers: Endgame and needed to get some fic ideas out of my system first before I could concentrate on Ralbert again. But two chapters of the fourth Hearts and Souls story are almost done so I hope it won't be too long until I can upload them. And since I had this one-shot lying around on my harddrive for a while I figured I might upload that in the meantime. :)


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